Eleven Borac Banja Luka fans arrested in Athens after police come under object attacks
Police arrested 11 supporters of Bosnian club Borac Banja Luka in central Athens after about 150 fans walked through the centre, blocking traffic, and threw objects at officers.
What police say happened
Athens police say about 150 supporters of Borac Banja Luka, the Bosnian club, walked through central Athens shortly after midnight on 15 October, blocking vehicle traffic. Officers say the group was carrying stones, hand flares, iron bars and other objects. When officers from the Drasi unit, who were already on patrol in the area, moved to the scene, supporters threw objects at them. Police say they prevented further attacks and arrested 11 people at the scene. The detained are supporters of the club, which was due to play Panathinaikos later that day.
Injuries and seized items
One police officer was injured and taken to hospital for first aid. The sources do not describe the nature of the injury, and none of them reports a second officer hurt. Damage was also caused to service equipment, to windows at a hotel in the area and to the hotel's outdoor tables. Officers seized four iron bars and one activated hand flare at the scene. Those items will be sent to the Directorate of Forensic Investigations for laboratory tests.
Weapons reports
SKAI and NewsIT reported, citing information they had received, that items that could be used as weapons were found on the detainees, including clubs, a metal bar and brass knuckles. The police statement as carried by the other articles lists only the four iron bars and the flare. The clubs, the metal bar and the brass knuckles therefore appear only in the media reports, and the articles do not confirm them through the police account.
How the day unfolded
The disturbance began on the evening of Wednesday, 14 October, when supporters gathered and halted traffic. SKAI places this on Liosion avenue, while NewsIT places it in central Athens. The walk through the centre and the object attacks on police followed shortly after midnight, which means early on Thursday, 15 October.
- Supporters gather and halt vehicle traffic in central Athens
- About 150 supporters walk through the centre, police are attacked with thrown objects, one officer is injured and 11 are arrested
- Scheduled kickoff of the Panathinaikos vs Borac Banja Luka Conference League match at OAKA
The 11 detainees are subject to a case file under the flagrant-offence procedure. Police say the file was drawn up by the sub-directorate for combating organised sports violence, which sits within the directorate for combating organised crime. Police say the 11 are being referred to the prosecutor. NewsIT and SKAI report that they would appear before the courts at the former Evelpidon Military Academy.
The match
The arrests came ahead of the Conference League match between Panathinaikos and Borac Banja Luka, scheduled for 19:45 on 15 October at the OAKA stadium in Athens. SKAI reports that security measures had become the focus ahead of the fixture. None of the articles reports further incidents after the arrests, and the sources do not say whether the match was affected by the events of the night.
